Mary Baker Eddy’s years in Lynn
How a 1866 fall, years of teaching, and a Broad Street home shaped the writing of Science and Health and the early organization of Christian Science.
In February 1866, Mary Baker Eddy fell on the ice at the corner of Market and Oxford streets in Lynn, an event she later tied to the discovery at the heart of Christian Science. Here is what happened in her Lynn years, from that fall to the Broad Street house where her church was organized.
The fall on the ice at Market and Oxford
In February 1866 Mary Baker Eddy experienced a serious fall on ice near the corner of Market and Oxford streets in Lynn. The Mary Baker Eddy Papers records that this incident played a role in her later account of discovery and healing.
The fall is one of the events local histories link to Eddy’s subsequent teaching and writing, and it is often cited in timelines of her life in Lynn.
8 Broad Street: the house Eddy bought and lived in
Eddy purchased a house at 8 Broad Street in Lynn and made it her home. Longyear Museum identifies this property as the first residence she owned.
While living at Broad Street she completed the last pages of Science and Health’s initial edition, according to Longyear Museum’s account of the Lynn house.
Science and Health and teaching in Lynn
Eddy’s manuscript work for Science and Health drew on Bible notes and the teaching she did while based in Lynn. Longyear Museum’s founder timeline connects the writing and publication to her years of study and instruction in the city.
The Mary Baker Eddy Library holds extensive collections — letters, manuscripts and early organizational records — that document her writing and teaching during this period, useful for researchers and readers seeking primary sources.
The 1879 Broad Street meeting that formalized the group
On April 12, 1879, a meeting at Eddy’s Broad Street home is recorded by the Mary Baker Eddy Library as the occasion when local adherents took steps to formalize themselves as the Church of Christ (Scientist).
That house meeting is part of the written record linking Eddy’s Lynn residence to the early organization of what became the Christian Science movement.
The Mary Baker Eddy Historic House today
Longyear Museum lists 8 Broad Street as a nationally designated historic house connected to Mary Baker Eddy. Longyear acquired the property and provides interpretation of the site, including a virtual tour.
The house is also recorded in the state’s historic inventory.
For those wanting to consult original documents, the Mary Baker Eddy Library maintains finding aids and collections tied to Eddy’s Lynn years.
Before you go
If you plan to explore Broad Street or the historic house, note that Longyear Museum offers visitor interpretation and a virtual tour; check Longyear’s Lynn house page for the latest on visiting options.
For more of the city’s history, the Lynn Museum & Arts Center is at 590 Washington Street. Another Lynn woman of the same era, Lydia Pinkham, built a national business from her home.
You can also check the events calendar for museum programs or related talks, and browse more local stories in our Lynn history section.
Sources: The Mary Baker Eddy Papers; Longyear Museum — Mary Baker Eddy Historic House, Lynn, Mass.; Longyear Museum — ‘1866–1889’ founder timeline; Mary Baker Eddy Library — ‘From the Collections: A small book notes a big story’; Longyear Museum — Historic Houses; Mary Baker Eddy Library — The Mary Baker Eddy Collection (finding aid); Lynn Museum & Historical Society — website; Mass.gov — MassGIS Data: MHC Historic Inventory (MACRIS).
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